Summary
The two countries have decided to establish an India-US Education and Skills Development Working Group
The decision was made at the fourth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue attended by Indian ministers Rajnath Singh and S Jaishankar at Washington
India and the US have decided to establish a new education group to further strengthen cooperation in the field of education and skill development through joint collaborations and promote student and scholar mobility to build people-to-people linkages.
In a joint statement issued after the fourth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, the two countries' ministers also lauded the vibrant educational linkages between India and the US.
"The ministers announced the intent to establish a new India-US Education and Skills Development Working Group. The ministers also appreciated the contribution of the Fulbright-Nehru programme in furthering the exchange of outstanding academics and professionals between both countries and the special role that the four million strong Indian-American diaspora play in deepening India-US relations," the joint statement issued by the ministry of external affairs said on April 12.
The fourth 2+2, the first under the Biden administration, was held in Washington on April 11. The Indian side was led by defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S Jaishankar.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken and US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin welcomed Singh and Jaishankar to Washington for the dialogue. The dialogue was preceded by a virtual meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden.
"Lauding the vibrant educational linkages between India and the United States, the ministers reiterated their support to further strengthen cooperation in the field of education and skill development through joint collaborations and promote student and scholar mobility to build people-to-people linkages between the two countries," the statement said.
After the ministerial dialogue in Washington on April 11, Jaishankar said, "The bedrock of our relationship, as you would all agree, is its human element."
"It could be the students who come to universities, the flow of talent that defines our knowledge partnership or indeed the technology and business relationships which promote innovation. They are all examples of the human bridge that connects our societies so uniquely," he added.
The number of Indian students in the United States increased by over 12% in 2021. In comparison to 2020, India sent more students (+25,391), according to a government report.
US secretary Blinken told reporters that the two countries are increasing people-to-people ties, which are really at the heart of the entire relationship.
“We're very lucky in the United States to be home to some 4 million Indian-Americans as well as 2,00,000 Indians studying in our universities. We have a working group on education and skill training that we formed today that will increase that number by bringing institutions in the United States and India together to develop new joint research and exchange programmes,” he said.
“We look forward to welcoming more Indian students and scholars into our communities. We're focusing, among other things, on STEM education. I think this is an area of tremendous potential going forward,” added Blinken.
In February, the United States waived in-person interview requirements for many visa applicants, including students and workers, at its diplomatic missions in India.
Recognising the importance of protecting cultural heritage, the ministers committed to work toward negotiating a memorandum of understanding that will deepen cooperation in this area and assist authorities in combating the trade in cultural artefacts and facilitating their repatriation.
Last updated on 13 Apr 2022
